Photos of my President Pinehurst Wagon

[Brian Lohnes]

Well, I finally went and dragged my wagon home today and it is rough with a capital RUST.

Of all the cars I have gone and found over the years this one is in the toughest shape. Major body rust although the frame appears to be mostly solid. The interior is thoroughly thrashed although the dash is in great shape. The floors, yep, you guessed it, shot to pieces.

The good news is that this is a complete car down to the last rusty nut and bolt. It has all of it's glass along with a complete motor and drivetrain.

I had to come a long it on and OFF the trailer as it sits on three flat tires.

A guy was hyperventialting at the gas station when I stopped for fuel on the way home. He offered to buy it on the spot and I was admittedly tempted, but I turned him down. He was blurting out, "Do you know what this is? I haven't seen one of these for 20 years."

My research has shown 1522 produced, I'm not sure if that's accurate or not. Anyway, here it is. This is an opening photo salvo as it was rapidly getting dark and I had to put my 2 year old son Tom to bed after wrenching the thing off of the trailer. He's really excited about the car...which is very cool.









Here's my son Tom in his PJs...with my old Wheel Horse mower behind him.


Brian

[mbstude]

I can already see what Tom's first set of wheels will be...

Love the tri-tone paint job. Good luck, and keep us posted! [8D]

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[52-fan]

You've got your work cut out for you, but that will be a unique ride when you get it on the road. Good luck, and stay with the forum for encouragement.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[BobPalma]

Brian - Good News! You do not, repeat NOT, have a rusty 1956 wagon.

To see a rusty 1956 wagon, scroll down to about the 14th post in this tread:

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20636&SearchTerms=michigan

BP

[Guido]

Congratulations on getting the car home. Just wondering where you live that you already need a snow shovel outside in August? [:0]



Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful" and real Studebaker horsepower lives

See pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

[rockne10]

Cary Fabricating and Classic Enterprises are sources for many repair panels but you'll also be doing some fabricating of your own. Take your time, don't get overwhelmed. Buy whatever you'll need as soon as finances and opportunity collide. Parts pricing does not seem to go down over time.

1956, 57, 58 are some of the best built and most comfortable post-war Studes one can find.

Do it right once and it won't need done a second time.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Love the color combo! [] [8D]



Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[Brian Lohnes]

Thanks for the kind words guys!

I had to use the shovel the other day to send a deceased field mouse to it's final resting place in the woods. A snow shovel is a good dead mouse scooper/flinger, take my word for it. I live in Massachusetts for the record.

I'm not a freak out kind of guy and I knew that this car was very rough going in, so I'm going to be moving at my own pace. Thanks for the heads up on panel suppliers. The floors are going to be interesting. I send photos of those along tomorrow.

I'll keep you all posted on the triumphs and failures of this one because there are sure to be scads of each.

Brian

[KGlowacky]

Welcome Brian, I have a 56 2 dr wagon I am just finishing up. Yours looks like a cream puff compaired to mine when I got it. If I can be of any help please feel free to contact me I may be able to save you a lot of time. For example the luggage rack rails. I had new ones repo'd at a local boat shop here in Houston out of SS. I did a complete body off and touched every part on the car. Good Luck!

[Brian Lohnes]

KG...I'm going to be a big pain in your behind. I'll be picking your brain with frequency I do believe.

This is going to be along the same line as your project...it's all coming apart.

Brian

[barnlark]

Brian, great pick up. In close ups, it may look rough in capitals, but vision, time, patience and a few hard earned dollars will make that a beauty again. Great color combo, indeed. Get your son in front of the wagon for a photo like my grandfather did a few years back.. for future smiles..even though he looks like he just realized there goes his dad's Christmas present budget! Good luck.

[img][/img]

[KGlowacky]

Brian, there are many SDC members on this forum that can help you. I am willing to share all when needed. Someone has pics of my floor repair that where posted years ago. Good Luck.

[bams50]

I'm impressed with how it sits up there proudly, tattered and faded though it may be[^] Not to pressure you, Brian, but I can picture it redone- a very striking presence!

I thought how fun it would be for you to come back here in 15 years or so and show your son this thread and that picture of him[8D] Hope the car's finished by then!

Enjoy your work for Hot Rod, but you'll find more fun here than with the cookie-cutter street rods and zillions of average muscle cars- all nice stuff, but so many they've become nondescript[|)] We're all rootin' for ya- and the ol' Pinehurst!

Who's got that picture of the three 56 wagons all together that was on the TW cover?? That would be great motivation for Brian[8D]

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[bams50]

Brian, a little more advice:

Look her over and get an idea of what you'll need to put it back together. The obvious things- like the floor pans- have been discussed. But if you start paying attention now, you can put together everything you need, little by little, as finances allow. Bookmark Stude parts on eBay (here's mine):

http://search.ebay.com/studebaker_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfclZ3QQfromZR10QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQmppfqyZlincolnQQmppfqyZstudebakerQQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZbs

Another good source is here:

http://www.studebakerswap.com/swap/swap.php

Also, when you join the SDC, you will have the ULTIMATE resource in Turning Wheels, the monthly magazine- the back is full of classifieds and vendor info- and all for just $19.95 for the first year! A must-have[^]

Finally, this forum is ideal. You can post questions, get info and advice, and post a want-ad; somebody will have, or know where you can get, anything you need!

I'm an ex-hot rodder and race car driver that loves most all brands. I've only been involved with Studes for about 4 years, but what set them apart for me was having something that there aren't row after row of at shows; what keeps me here is the unusual level of good info and good people here! Add to that the most desirable wagon Stude had in 56, and you're a winner!!

Keep us informed as you go along; and if your enthusiasm wanes, we'll give you the kick-in-the-fanny you need to get back on track!

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[4961Studebaker]

No wagon expert here.

But thoughts out to the forum.

Maybe a list of interchangeable parts/years that Brian can search for.
Studebaker used many of the same parts on many models to save money. GOOD parts mind you, just stretched their engineering/ tooling dolar out over many model years.
I would think the engine would be a piece of cake...parts wise....machine shop...another matter.

Just thinking outloud.
Oh can anyone confirm the production numbers?

And brian, look up the SDC museum and get yourself a copy of the original production order for your very vehicle. They just need the serial number and vehicle description.
http://www.studebakermuseum.org/styles.asp?cid=211 AND POST THE DETAILS. we all like seeing the decoded information/options etc.

ChopStu